Echinacea Research Paper

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Supplements For hundreds of years, supplements and herbal remedies have been used to treat and prevent illnesses. One of these herbal treatments is Echinacea. Echinacea is a flowering herb native to central and eastern North America, used by Native Americans for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years before settlement of the colonies and further exploration of medicine. According to Wallace Sampson, MD, its modern day use as a treatment for the common cold began when a Swiss herbal supplement maker was "erroneously told" that echinacea was used for cold prevention by Native American tribes who lived in the area of South Dakota.[1] This herb is traditionally believed to be an immunostimulator, stimulating the body’s immune system and warding off infections. It is also less commonly used as a laxative. Echinacea was one of the basic antimicrobial herbs from the mid-19th century through the early 20th century. Its use was documented for snakebite, anthrax, and for relief of pain. In the 1930s echinacea became popular in both Europe and America as an herbal medicine. [1] Although Native American tribes didn't use echinacea to prevent the common cold, some tribes did use echinacea to treat some of the symptoms that could be caused by the common cold. Echinacea is taken in several different…show more content…
The overwhelmingly negative results in studies about the efficacy in Echinacea in treating and preventing the common cold show that it is indeed no better than any other alternative medication. However, not much research has been shown about the effects of the herb on other illnesses. There have been suggestive studies on the positive effect of Echinacea on cancers and skin conditions, but there is little research to prove either side. Perhaps in the future a better use of this herb can be found that may benefit many people around the

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